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Proposed NFL stadium changes its name to 'Grand Crossing'

March 3, 2011 | 2:19
pm

It turns out the NFL isn't a big fan of Industry -- at least the name, anyway.

At the request of the NFL, planners of a proposed football stadium are no longer using the City of Industry when referring to the location of their 75,000-seat venue. The $800-million project is now being referred to as "Grand Crossing," said John Semcken, vice president of developer Majestic Realty Co.

“I was specifically asked if I could change the name of the city by the National Football League, and I said yes and I did it,” Semcken told the Associated Press. “It's an impression that they have, which was a negative impression, and there's no reason to have it. You just get rid of it.”

The name change may be an effort by the NFL and the developer to give the stadium a better image. Semcken says the City of Industry had no objections to the name change. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy declined to comment on the name change when contacted by the Associated Press.

Grand Crossing is one of two proposed NFL stadiums vying to bring the NFL back to Los Angeles. Earlier this year, AEG announced a rival plan to build the 64,000-seat Farmers Field on the site of the Los Angeles Convention Center.